Heat cannot trade Chris Andersen, Mario Chalmers to Cavaliers

Mario Chalmers (L) and Chris Andersen (R) could be headed out, but Cleveland would be a bad choice. (Getty Images)

Mario Chalmers (L) and Chris Andersen (R) could be headed out, but Cleveland would be a bad choice. (Getty Images)

Miami would love to keep veteran reserves Chris Andersen and Mario Chalmers for the upcoming season, but trading those two would save the team about $30 million. If the Heat insist on cutting expenses, there should be plenty of teams eager to take them.

It seems highly unlikely Pat Riley would do a deal with the Cavaliers, who could use both of those players and have a perfect trade piece to give up for them. Cleveland can ship out Brendan Haywood and his $10.5 million contract, which does not become guaranteed until Aug. 1. That means the Heat could acquire him and cut him at no cost.

However, even if Riley could stomach making a move that helps LeBron James, there is no way the Heat can make a trade that improves the team it intends to take down this season. Miami has set a clear goal of winning the Eastern Conference, and the road to doing so almost certainly will go through Cleveland. That reason outweighs any personal grudges.

Andersen and Chalmers could still end up with the Cavaliers if the Heat trade them elsewhere, but Miami could lessen the chance of that happening by waiting for Cleveland to do something with Haywood.